Posted on 08/29/2007 1:11:40 PM PDT by george76
Contracting and development executives with a financial stake in the New Mexico Rail Runner have contributed thousands of dollars to Governor Richardson’s presidential campaign.
They’ve also provided Richardson with use of corporate airplanes.
The $400 million commuter rail system has been pushed by Richardson.
Some donations by one businessman—Santa Fe developer and art dealer Gerald Peters—were given while contract negotiations were under way with the state.
(Excerpt) Read more at kob.com ...
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Who woulda thunk it?
The article does not mention if he is a Democrat.
I am certain we will see this coruption pattern headlining the CBS/NBC/ABC/CNBC/MSNBC/CNN evening newscasts tonight ...
And then I woke up from my fantasy dream.
Donors With Rail Project Interests Give Big Bucks To Richardson (ABQ Journal headline!)SANTA FE — Contracting and development executives with a financial stake in a $400 million commuter rail system pushed by New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson have contributed thousands of dollars to his presidential campaign and provided him the use of corporate planes.
Some donations by one businessman — developer and art dealer Gerald Peters — were given while contract negotiations were under way with the state.
Also, executives with a Missouri-based company that's paid to operate the rail service, Herzog Contracting, contributed $13,800 to Richardson's presidential campaign in March and April, according to federal campaign finance reports.
Earlier this month, a joint venture that includes the company's parent, Herzog Companies, won a $117 million state contract to design and build an extension of the rail system. The contract was awarded by a Richardson administration agency through competitive bidding, which began about two months after the contributions were made to the presidential campaign. …
Herzog contributed $25,000 to Richardson's gubernatorial campaign in late December — more than a month after he won re-election. The campaign used its post election fundraising to help pay for Richardson's inauguration in January.
Richardson's presidential campaign also has received contributions from a Santa Fe developer, whose company was selected by the state in December for a multimillion dollar construction project that includes a commuter rail hub and a new headquarters for the Transportation Department on state land near downtown Santa Fe. …
Richardson also used a plane owned by Herzog for a presidential campaign trip earlier this year, according to the campaign's federal finance report. … Massie Ritsch, a spokesman for the Center for Responsive Politics, said, "Providing an airplane to a candidate who needs to be able to travel quickly to campaign events is a great way to curry favor with that candidate."
Click on keyword "Richardson's Railroad" for complete history of this nearly half-billion dollar boondoggle paid by state taxpayers for the exclusive use of maybe 1,000 commuters per day, while road repairs, especially in the SE oil patch area, gowanting, and in ABQ, the 75 mph adjacent interstate is only 2/3 of capacity north of Bernalillo and still only two lanes from Bernalillo to ABQ. The project can't qualify for federal funds because it couldn't survive a cost/benefit analysis even under the generous federal regulations.
If you want on or off the NM Ping list, please FReepmail me.
I seems that the dems just don’t give a rat’s patootie any more if their illegalities see the light of day...thanks to the complicit mainstream media. Bill and Hillary have done wonders for the character of the country.
King William is completely honest and selfless.
The savior of humanity through his diplomatic expertise;
AND savior of Gaia / Mother Earth, through his mass transportation schemes projects.
/sarc
Gov. Halts DOT Project Negotiations
Gov. Bill Richardson, saying he wants to avoid any possible taint, announced the suspension Wednesday of contract talks for the Transportation Department's headquarters redevelopment project in Santa Fe.
Richardson said negotiations between SCS Development and the Transportation Department would be put on hold pending the outcome of two investigations he has ordered of the $400 million project.
The Journal reported last week that the Transportation Department and SCS, a company affiliated with Richardson supporter and friend Gerald Peters, were discussing a headquarters of about 170,000 square feet— down from the 300,000 initially called for by the department.
In general terms, SCS is to build a headquarters and provide a Rail Runner station for the state free of charge in return for the right to develop the rest of the Transportation Department property.
The Journal also has reported that defendants in the Metropolitan Courthouse construction scandal in Albuquerque were linked to the early stages of the planned redevelopment on a 25-acre tract near downtown Santa Fe.
One of them was hired as project manager for the DOT redevelopment and two flew on state planes to out-of-state meetings about the headquarters redevelopment.
A new federal indictment alleges the same defendants in the courthouse case also conspired to corrupt another DOT project, which state officials have identified as the proposed redevelopment of its District 5 regional office on Santa Fe's southside.
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